Restaurant bio: About five years ago, Mike Ta opened Ta Ca to share the wonders of fresh Vietnamese/Japanese style sushi and cuisine with Savannah in a friendly and fun atmosphere. “We are a family restaurant. I like for our customers to feel like they’re a part of our family,” Ta said. Adding a creative flare to the place, soon after opening, Ta started a rotating exhibition on the walls for artists of all kinds and hosting monthly receptions. The unique combination quickly made it a hotspot among sushi enthusiasts; so much so, Ta recently had to expand the restaurant to include a full bar and a private dining room for large parties.

“Ta is my last name, and Ca means the fish that’s Vietnamese. So that’s where the name came from.”

Chef bio: Ta came to Savannah from Saigon over 20 years ago and spent the first 15 mastering hibachi and sushi techniques from other chefs in the city. But when he ventured out on his own to open his restaurant, he made sure to put his distinctive spin on the cuisine, including Vietnamese specialties like pho (which he said is extremely healthful) on the menu.

“Our food is fresh all the time, and people love that.”

Favorite dish: Mike’s Special Roll

Why: “It’s got all the great flavors.”

MIKE’S SPECIAL ROLL

2 cups sushi rice (short grain rice)

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package nori (seaweed)

1 sashimi grade tuna steak, sliced

1 sashimi grade white tuna steak, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

1 package of crabmeat

Spicy mayo to taste

Combine the rice with 2¼ cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds. Coat the rice with the mixture and let it cool completely before using. Lay a bamboo sushi roller on a flat surface and place one sheet of nori on top. Place a small ball of sushi rice in the middle of the nori and spread it out using a spatula. Arrange the tuna, avocado and crab in the middle and slowly roll the bamboo roller. Cut the roll into pieces and top with slices of white tuna and spicy mayo.